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Become a brighter bulb with this class

Sacramento Digs Gardening
BY Debbie Arrington PUBLISHED SEP 23, 2018

Grape hyacinths are layered under tulips in
Debbie Arrington's garden. (Photo: Debbie Arrington)

Master gardeners' seminar will help you 'Fall into Spring'

What's your bulb IQ? Do you know your daffodils from hyacinths? Dutch iris from Siberian squill?

More important, do you know how to make the most of bulbs in your spring garden? Or how to force them indoors?

Learn all that and more at "Fall into Spring: Fall Planting for Spring Color," a special seminar hosted by the UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners of Sacramento County.

The course will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 20, at the UC Cooperative Extension office, 4145 Branch Center Road, Sacramento. Cost is $35 per person. Sign up at: sacmg.ucanr.edu/Special_Events

Bulbs are enjoying a new wave of popularity in California gardens. Most spring-blooming bulbs are drought tolerant and easy care. They're also deer- and rodent-resistant. A small investment can pay off with colorful dividends for years to come.

Guest speaker for this information-packed session will be Bill the Bulb Baron, aka Northern California bulb grower and hybridizer William Welch. He'll share his tips for success in Sacramento's climate and soils.

Other presentations include how to layer bulbs for dramatic impact (and more weeks of flowers) as well as how to force bulbs in containers for winter blooms.

In addition, bulbs and forcing kits will be offered for sale at the seminar.

Questions? For more information: UC Cooperative Extension, (916) 875-6913 or sacmg.ucanr.edu .

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UCCE master gardeners fall planting gardening Sacramento garden class spring garden bulbs flowers

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Garden Checklist for week of May 19

Temperatures will be a bit higher than normal in the afternoons this week. Take care of chores early in the day – then enjoy the afternoon. It’s time to smell the roses.

* Plant, plant, plant! It’s prime planting season in the Sacramento area. If you haven’t already, it’s time to set out those tomato transplants along with peppers and eggplants. Pinch off any flowers on new transplants to make them concentrate on establishing roots instead of setting premature fruit.

* Direct-seed melons, cucumbers, summer squash, corn, radishes, pumpkins and annual herbs such as basil.

* Harvest cabbage, lettuce, peas and green onions.

* In the flower garden, direct-seed sunflowers, cosmos, salvia, zinnias, marigolds, celosia and asters.

* Plant dahlia tubers. Other perennials to set out include verbena, coreopsis, coneflower and astilbe.

* Transplant petunias, marigolds and perennial flowers such as astilbe, columbine, coneflowers, coreopsis, dahlias, rudbeckia and verbena.

* Keep an eye out for slugs, snails, earwigs and aphids that want to dine on tender new growth.

* Feed summer bloomers with a balanced fertilizer.

* For continued bloom, cut off spent flowers on roses as well as other flowering plants.

* Don’t forget to water. Seedlings need moisture. Deep watering will help build strong roots and healthy plants.

* Add mulch to the garden to help keep that precious water from evaporating. Mulch also cuts down on weeds. But don’t let it mound around the stems or trunks of trees or shrubs. Leave about a 6-inch to 1-foot circle to avoid crown rot or other problems.

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